NBA Exec: DeMar DeRozan's Play 'Hasn't Driven Winning,' Has Led to Him Changing Teams

Some NBA executives believe DeMar DeRozan's fit with De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis has contributed to the Sacramento Kings' sub-.500 start to the season, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst.

DeRozan has ranked second on the team with 22.7 points per game as the Kings began the season with a 10-13 record.

One Western Conference executive told Bontemps: "He is who he is. What he does takes away from what both Fox and Sabonis do because they tend to operate in the same areas on the court."

Another NBA executive told Windhorst: "DeRozan is a highly skilled player who is great to have in the locker room and a guy who you want to give the ball to at the end of a game. But his play hasn't driven winning, and it's something that unfortunately has been the case throughout his career and it's part of why he's changed teams a bunch."

DeRozan joined the Kings this summer after a three-team sign-and-trade deal involving the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs.

The trade marked DeRozan's third new team since he was traded by the Toronto Raptors in 2018. The Raptors went on to win the 2019 NBA title.

In six seasons with the Spurs and Bulls since then, DeRozan has seen his teams record winning records just twice. Both the 2018-19 Spurs and 2021-22 Bulls were then bounced from the playoffs in the first round.

After making the deal for DeRozan in the hopes of pairing him with their All-Star duo in order to return to the playoffs after a disappointing miss last season, the 2024-25 Kings are now in danger of marking a losing record of their own. Sacramento has lost seven of its last nine games, most recently dropping a 115-110 decision to the host Memphis Grizzlies.

The Kings have averaged four fewer drives per game since acquiring DeRozan. While leaning on DeRozan's mid-range skill, the Kings will need more production from players like Sabonis at the rim in order to recover from the team's current slump.

DeRozan will reunite with one of his former teams on Friday night when the Kings return to action with a road game against the San Antonio Spurs. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.